


Breaking Spring

by astudyinfic



Series: Answering the Call [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Spring Break, merMalec, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 04:32:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14663358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: Alec decides to share one of his favorite places with his husband of ten years.  However, when they arrive, things aren't exactly the way he remembered it.  So it's Magnus' turn to share something with him: Spring Break.





	Breaking Spring

**Author's Note:**

> A huge, massive thank you to my beta [thealmostrhetoricalquestion](http://thealmostrhetoricalquestion.tumblr.com/) for betaing this and helping me through a couple freakouts. 
> 
> And thank you to [wonderdaysoflunacy](http://wonderdaysoflunacy.tumblr.com/) for the beautiful promo image on tumblr.

“You’re going to love it here,” Alec told him, obviously excited about whatever it was he wanted to show Magnus.  Magnus wondered if the butterflies he felt in his stomach every time he saw Alec smile would ever go away. Because after a decade together, he was still just as ecstatic to see his lover happy as he was that day they first met.  

A lot had changed in ten years and yet so many things were still the same.  They still lived with Alec’s family (their family, now) and considering three of the four couples were same gender partners, there were no new kids to speak of.  Max had found his own mate, a lovely mermaid in Alicante, and moved to the capital city. He was missed but everyone tried to visit as often as possible.

Magnus and Cat also worked out a spell that let his niece Madzie visit whenever she liked.  It turned out she loved playing mermaids, and the gills on her neck were good for more than just looking adorable.  She spent several days a month with her favorite uncles, all of them in the pod fawning all over her whenever she visited.  

In return, Magnus and Alec tried to return to Brooklyn for at least one week a month.  While Magnus couldn’t continue to be High Warlock only living there a quarter of the time, a number of the warlocks in the city preferred him to his replacement and waited until he was around to help with their problems.  Magnus’ heart swelled every time he was visited by one of his people, thankful there were still people who respected his opinion while also giving him the space to live his life as he wanted. 

As far as anyone could tell, Magnus was the first High Warlock to abdicate his position so he could go live underwater.  Ragnor liked to point out that Magnus never did anything by halves so of course, he had to make a splash like that.

Everyone rolled their eyes, though Magnus was secretly impressed his crotchety best friend was actually telling jokes.

But life under the sea suited Magnus far more than life on land ever did, and the reason for that was currently dragging him through the water, anxious to get to their destination.  

“I can swim on my own, Alexander,” Magnus laughed.  He’d built up speed and agility over the years so he could easily keep up with the rest of the pod.  Hunting didn’t interest him as much as the others, but he could do it if necessary. (And if he sometimes used his magic just to bring the fish to them, well, no one was complaining.)

“I know but you keep looking around.”  Rolling his eyes fondly at Alec, Magnus gave a strong flick of his tail, pushing him up to be next to his lover.  “This place is best at sunset so we need to get there in time, otherwise we have to wait a whole other day.”

“We’re going to the surface?”  Despite having traveled the seven seas over the years they’d been together, Alec preferred to go on shore only at the island where they first met.  They’d portal to the loft in Brooklyn from there, so there was no chance of anyone seeing them. Years of fear regarding mundanes left a healthy dose of caution in Alec which Magnus appreciated and accepted.  

So for Alec to be taking him to the surface, someplace that wasn't their island (as Magnus now referred to it in his mind) was a big deal and he understood his husband's impatience.  

"Yes, the surface.  You are going to love it.  It's so pretty and peaceful there."  

Magnus knew many places that were pretty and peaceful, and after a decade living in the ocean, he now knew where they were without having to ask Alec.  Off the coast of Mexico, Magnus figured. Which would be nice this time of year. Springtime was wonderful in New York but it was also a great time to get out of New York, particularly when you were going somewhere warm, with white sand beaches and crystal clear water.  It seemed even the merfolk agreed if Alec was taking him there. 

With his mind on fruity cocktails and days laying out in the sun, Magnus hardly noticed that Alec stopped until his lover tugged him back.  "Something's wrong." Alec’s low growled words put Magnus on edge and he turned to face the direction they were heading. 

At first, everything appeared normal.  Fewer fish than he would have expected but nothing too unusual.  They were still a nautical mile from the shore but he'd learned quickly that he could see much better under the water than he'd expected.  Between his abilities as a merman combined with the exceptional sight of his cat-eyes, there was very little that escaped Magnus' notice. But this time it was Alec who saw it first, still more attuned to the water than Magnus thought he would ever be.  While Magnus loved his chosen home, he would probably never compare to Alec’s innate abilities as one born to the sea. 

He could hear the disturbance before he saw it, a pounding that was rhythmic in nature. If he had legs, Magnus could have danced to it.  Right at the shoreline, a commotion was building, legs running in and out of the water, some people diving down into it and then surfacing again.  

"Humans," Alec growled, and Magnus laughed.  It didn't seem like the humans were doing anything other than enjoying the water so Magnus didn't understand Alec's grumpiness, aside from his natural salty tendencies.  "What are they doing here?"

With a shrug, Magnus shot up to the surface, looking for himself, because while Alec was slowly becoming used to spending time in the city with him, Magnus was still, by far the expert on all things human between the two of them.  

The humans on the beach were young, barely adults and the beach was covered with them.  Everywhere he looked there was exposed skin, free-flowing alcohol, and blasting music. 

Beach.

Springtime.

Young humans.

Magnus grinned and dove back under the water to where Alec still floated, arms crossed and with a look ready to kill.  "Darling, the humans aren't doing any harm. It appears you've brought us to a spring break celebration. If you wanted a crash course on how young humans socialize with one another, this is the right place to research it."

His nose wrinkled in disgust and Magnus could hardly resist laughing at the adorable gesture.  

“I don’t understand why they have to be here though.  Can’t they break somewhere else? And how do they break spring in the first place?”

For all the time they’d been together, Magnus sometimes forgot how little Alec knew about human culture.  He could fit in well enough when they visited Magnus’ family in Brooklyn (or better yet, Ragnor’s house in England), but when it came to the nuances of humanity, Alec was rather lost most of the time.  

“They aren’t breaking spring, darling,” Magnus said fondly, doing his best to be understanding.  He didn’t want Alec to think he was dumb for not knowing such a minor thing of human culture. Alec’s patience with him had been unending when they were first together and Magnus learned the ins and outs of living in the ocean.  

“Then why did you say they were celebrating spring’s break?”  Alec fell silent and, recognizing Alec’s thinking face, Magnus let him consider whatever it was that was on his mind.  “Oh, I get it. They are celebrating the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Sort of like when you refer to daybreak, even though the day isn’t broken, it just broke through the night, or something like that.”  

It wasn’t a bad guess and certainly closer to the truth than Alec’s original idea.  Though the idea of breaking spring amused Magnus and he wondered how one would even go about doing that. 

He nodded. “Sort of.  It’s more, they are celebrating a break from their normal lives.  The children go to school during most of the year and get a few times where they are granted a break to go home or do whatever they wish to do.  The one at this time of year is called ‘spring break’, For little kids, it’s a time to stay home with family, play with friends, and sleep in. For older ones, like our friends over there on the beach, it is a time to travel to tropical places, drink alcohol, and make bad decisions.”  

Magnus might have partaken in a few spring break celebrations over the years, even if he was far from being considered a young adult anymore. 

“They celebrate by making bad decisions?  That doesn’t sound like any type of celebration I know.”  

No, it didn’t sound like something Alec would understand or take part in.  Magnus loved the cautious nature of his soul mate, even if it was sometimes frustrating trying to explain to him why it was okay to let loose and have fun, even if it was in an unusual manner.  

But, while it didn’t sound like Alec, it did sound like someone they both knew.  “Darling, think about it this way. That beach is full of humans who are very much like Jace.  They think doing things they aren’t allowed to is the best way to have fun. Very rarely do they do anything that results in anyone being hurt, just like it is rare for your brother to do anything that is truly dangerous, but they like to do what they are told not to.”

“Sounds like Clary, too. Not sure I like the idea of an entire beach filled with Clarys and Jaces.”  Alec’s shudder at the thought was what finally broke Magnus’ self-control. He laughed long and loud at that. Ten years with those two was more than enough for Magnus to share the sentiment, even if he was more likely to engage in a little trouble compared to his soulmate. He loved Biscuit like the sister he always wanted and he tolerated Jace because while he could be a lot to handle, he loved his family fiercely, would gladly die for anyone in their pod.  A number Magnus was added to far sooner than he expected. 

But that didn't mean that he could handle a hundred mundane teenagers who were determined to spend that week making mistakes they would remember for the rest of their lives. 

And yet...

And yet, Alec had only the barest idea of what it was like to live on land.  He claimed to have visited cities before but Magnus doubted that considering the way he stared at the buildings in downtown, and the awe on his face when he met a stray cat or dog in Brooklyn.  (The day he met a cow on one of their excursions outside the city, Magnus nearly cried in amusement at the absolute glee of his lover.)

“We’re going,” Magnus decided, nodding towards the shore.  “It will be good for you. We both look young enough to be part of that crowd.  It will be fun.” 

At least for Magnus.  Watching his merman lover try to interact with drunk mundanes would give him a source of entertainment for years to come.  And recounting it to the pod when they got home would be even more enjoyable. Simon, in particular, would find it hilarious, Magnus guessed, as the only other one with even a working understanding of human culture.  

Alec shook his head, swimming backward to try and avoid being dragged to the beach.  “I’m not going up there, Magnus. We don’t have clothes and if all those mundanes are there, I don’t...”  Alec trailed off, a strange look on his face as he did so. 

“You don’t what, Alexander?” Magnus asked, unsure where Alec had been going with that thought.  It wasn’t like Magnus couldn’t snap his fingers and get them whatever clothes they needed. 

“I don’t want people to see you like that,” Alec whispered, looking anywhere but at Magnus’ face.  “I like that I’m the only one who has seen you like that.” 

Magnus assumed he meant when they went onto shore, the moment when their tails washed away, replaced with their legs.  It usually took them a couple hours before they could untangle themselves enough after that moment. Alec knew about his former lovers but also knew there would never be another.  Alec might not be his first love but he was his last, and that was far more important in Magnus’ mind. 

Cupping Alec’s face, Magnus kissed him, pouring all the love and affection he felt for this impossible man into the kiss.  “No one will see me like that, I promise you. We can go on shore down the beach. I didn’t see anyone down there. Once we change, I’ll get us clothes and we will look like anyone else at the party.”

Alec kissed him back, pulling Magnus closer and he could feel the desperation from his lover.  When Alec pulled back, Magnus could see the argument on the tip of his tongue. Shaking his head, Magnus placed a finger on Alec’s lips. “Trust me, darling.  We don’t have to stay long. If you hate it, say the word and we will go swimming and never come back. But I think you will have fun if you let yourself.” 

Giving Alec his best sad cat-eyes - ones he knew Alec couldn’t say no to, no matter how hard he tried - Magnus watched the indecision war in his lover’s eyes until he finally sighed and nodded. 

“You won’t regret this,” Magnus promised, hoping that would be the case.  But if they didn’t do this now, he could already tell that Alec would never let them have this opportunity again.  

Back up at the surface, Magnus watched the crowds for a moment, trying to find the perfect place to go ashore where no one would see them.  

The water rippled next to him as Alec came up as well, glaring at the people who had taken over his beach.  “There’s too many of them, Magnus. We can come back when they aren’t here. Maybe humans will stop celebrating spring break soon and the beach will go back to normal?”  

“If it’s too much, we will leave, okay?  I promise not do anything to make you feel more uncomfortable, okay?” It was just something fun.  Magnus certainly didn’t want Alec to stress over it, particularly since they’d never see these people again.  

Finally, he saw Alec nod, resigned but agreeable.  Magnus dove back under the water, swimming towards a secluded part of the beach, Alec right beside him.  “You trust me, right, Alexander? Would I ever do anything to get you in trouble?” 

“Like the time you told Ragnor I said he looked like my cousin, the Loch Ness monster?”

Magnus had laughed for days over that.  Alec and Ragnor found it less than funny, though Ragnor had only been mad at Alec for a few seconds before he realized who was really behind the joke.  

Magnus shrugged, “Like Ragnor would ever have believed that you said such a thing about him.  Plus, I sometimes think his father  _ is _ the Loch Ness monster, so it may just be a sore subject for him.”

“Magnus, please stop trying to get me in trouble with your friends.  I want them to like me.”

“They love you, Alexander.  And they love me. Trust me, none of this comes as a surprise to any of them.  Aside from Madzie and Raphael, I’ve known them for centuries. Raphael I’ve known for nearly one hundred years now and Madzie, well, you know she thinks we’re both delightful.”  

“Me more than you,” Alec grumbled but Magnus could see the smile tugging on his lips.  If Alec was joking around, then Magnus knew he was forgiven. Even if he was implying that Magnus was less delightful than himself.  

Having lived with himself for centuries, Magnus figured that was probably true.

He took Alec’s hand, swimming on his back under his lover so he could smile up at him.  “Well, I find you to be the most delightful person I’ve ever met, so it wouldn’t surprise me if Madzie felt the same way.  She is a good judge of character, after all.” 

Magnus loved his niece and hoped she would be coming to visit them soon.  Now that she was going to school, it was harder for them to spend time with her in their own home, so they waited for breaks and visited whenever they were in Brooklyn.

“And you are the most infuriating person I’ve ever met,” Alec stated but darted forward, tackling Magnus and sending them both somersaulting through the water.  When they stopped moving, Alec grinned and stole a kiss. “You are also the most beautiful, talented and kind-hearted person I’ve ever met so that more than makes up for the frustrations you cause.”

“Are you frustrated, darling?  Once we get on land, I’m happy to help you take care of that.”  Magnus winked at him and Alec groaned, swimming away with a roll of the eyes.  That was probably what Alec was talking about but Magnus believed his innuendos only added to his appeal.

They made their way down the shoreline, staying out of sight but keeping tabs on the beach, searching for the best place to get out of the water.  Magnus wasn’t too concerned with the fact that they would be naked (he was concerned about the fact that there were too many people, too close for them to do anything about it).  But the fact that it would take several minutes for them to dry enough for their fins to disappear? That would cause problems. 

A small cove lay just a few hundred yards from the party goers but seemed secluded enough that none of them had found it yet.  It was a beautiful location, trees growing all the way up to the shoreline with little beach to speak of, which would provide them with ample cover until they could make themselves presentable.  Magnus hauled himself out of the water first, practically diving for the trees, in order to get himself out of the water with minimal scooting. He always felt a little ridiculous doing that so he preferred the far more dramatic  _ jump from the water and beach yourself on the shore _ maneuver.  Alec always rolled his eyes and got out like a normal merman (and didn’t appreciate when Magnus asked if Alec could ever be considered normal at anything until Magnus pointed out that he thought Alec was extraordinary in every way) and joined him up near the trees. 

“You’re going to hurt yourself if you keep doing that,” Alec sighed, laying on his back next to Magnus.  “I don’t see why you can’t just get out like the rest of us.”

“Where would be the fun in that, darling?”  Knowing that laying on top of Alec would be far more comfortable than laying on the twigs and leaves of the ground, Magnus rolled so they were chest to chest, most of his body on top of his lover’s.  “Besides, then I don’t get the joy of watching you roll those beautiful hazel eyes at me, like you do when you are exasperated.”

“Magnus, I roll my eyes at you twenty times a day.  You are lucky I love you.” 

His arrival threw everything in Alec’s world off kilter and knowing how his love felt about change, Magnus often worried that Alec might hold it against him.  But he’d quickly learned to embrace the craziness of life with Magnus. He might roll his eyes, but Magnus knew that Alec loved him - antics and all.

So he just laughed and stole a kiss, “I know you do.  And I know how lucky I am that you love me. Trust me, I pinch myself every day just to make sure this isn’t some kind of dream.”  Not just any kind of dream, but one where a person gets everything they ever wanted as well as so many things they never thought to ask for.  “As for why I jump out of the water, it’s because I think I look ridiculous trying to scoot out like everyone else does. You all make it look effortless and after ten years, I still feel like a fish out of water every single time.”

“Magnus, you are a fish out of water.  That’s sort of the whole point of going on the beach.  But you don’t look ridiculous, I promise.” Magnus didn’t necessarily believe him but Alec’s attempts to make him feel better were far more effective than they would have been if anyone else was saying it.  Because Magnus knew Alec would never lie to him. They’d figured that out early in the relationship and neither wished to relive those fights. 

He leaned down and kissed Alec softly. “Agree to disagree, my darling.  I appreciate the effort though.” 

Conversation between the two of them died away as they traded kisses, this time having to break apart on occasion as their gills weren’t effective up here in the air.  Magnus rather liked the underwater kissing, able to stay as close to Alec as he wanted for as long as they both chose.

They broke apart with a gasp when their tails shifted and suddenly very sensitive parts of their anatomy were pressed together.  Magnus grinned and rolled his hips, completely onboard with this turn of events. 

“You planned this, didn’t you?” Alec asked, running his hands down Magnus’ back and ending at the base of his spine.  “You knew I would get distracted by kissing you and we would end up in his position here.” 

With Magnus settled between Alec’s legs, he rather doubted Alec was actually complaining about that.

“And?” Magnus didn’t see a problem with that but he wanted to hear it from Alec.  

Instead, Alec pushed him off and sat up.  “And there are a couple hundred mundanes just past those trees and anything I want to do with you will not be within view of a bunch of legged idiots who will either hate us for it or want to watch.”

Magnus frowned.  Sure, Alec had a point.  But the humans were at least a hundred yards away.  And they were both naked. Why wouldn’t Alec be interested?  Alec must have seen his frown because he leaned over and pecked his lips. “Tonight, before we go home, okay?”

With that promise ringing in his ears, Magnus smirked.  “You do have some of the best ideas, darling.” 

He pushed himself up to stand and offered his hand to Alec, impressed with how stable he was on his legs now.  When they first got together and Magnus wanted to take Alec to Brooklyn for the first time, Alec’s legs were shaky and weak from disuse.  Just because Alec had them didn’t mean he’d used them very often. Magnus helped him walk the first few times just as Alec had helped him when he was learning how to swim.  Back then his fins were new and didn’t feel like the natural part of his body they were now, every bit as much as his legs were.

Now, though, after a decade of practice, Alec stood and walked as if he had been doing it his whole life.  While it was clear Alec was waiting for Magnus to get them some clothes, he stood stock still and appreciated the beauty of his lover.  When he fell in love with Alec or realized he was going to in the near future, Magnus didn’t think this would be possible. He was willing to give up everything and to live underwater forever if it meant having Alec by his side.  Alec berated him for years for that, telling him he was ridiculous to give up his entire life for someone he barely knew, but Magnus never did things by halves. The moment he understood that Alec truly was his soulmate in every way, there was nothing that could have kept them apart.  Giving up his legs and life on land for a tail and life under the water was a small price to pay. 

Now, of course, he knew of Alec’s legs and everything they entailed.  His lover was the most beautiful man he’d ever seen, in and out of the ocean.  How the son of hell’s greatest prince got this angel of a man to fall in love with him, he would never know.

“You trust me to get you some clothes?” Magnus asked.  He could see the wary look in Alec’s eye at the question.  He’d pushed Alec out of his clothing comfort zone more often than either of them could count over the years but this time, it really did depend on him to find something.  Alec certainly didn’t know the proper attire for time on the beach, particularly during Spring Break. 

Alec frowned but eventually nodded.  “Fine, but if they are awful, I’m just walking around naked.”

“You will do no such thing,” Magnus laughed, already thinking of clothes for them both.  “If they don’t get to look at me, then they don’t get to look at you. This view is especially for me.”  While no real concept of nudity existed under the water, on land, Alec understood that some things were not meant to be shared. And now he was just as protective of Magnus’  _ assets _ as Magnus was of his.

Alec grinned at him and Magnus smiled back.  He loved that man, with everything he had in him.  

“Alright, darling.  Shirt or no shirt?”  They were at the beach.  It would be perfectly acceptable for them both to walk around without shirts on.  And considering the amount of time they spent swimming, both were well-toned and muscular.  Magnus’ tan was deeper but Alec also had the sun-kissed glow that would have most of the people on the beach drooling all over him.  Which was a good excuse for him to show off as well as to cover up. Magnus wasn’t the jealous type, and he knew Alec would never choose anyone but him, but did he really want people lusting after the love of his life?

“Shirt, definitely,”Alec answered, taking the decision away from Magnus, and the countless faces on the beach who would be denied all that beauty.  After only a moment’s consideration, Magnus snapped his fingers, dressing Alec in a second. While it was a shame to cover such a perfect body, he had to admit that the clothes looked wonderful too.  

Alec wrinkled his nose briefly at the sensation, an expression that got more pronounced when he saw what he was wearing.  

“What is this?” he asked, tugging at the shirt that was fitted perfectly to accentuate his frame without giving anything away.  

“That would be a shirt, darling.  Do you want shoes too?” Considering they were going to be on a beach, Magnus had no intention of wearing shoes personally, but he had yet to figure out Alec’s style (if he had one at all) so it was always better to ask.

Glowering at the shirt, Alec shook his head to the question about the shoes.  “I know it’s a shirt, Magnus. I’m just wondering what it has on it.”

It took everything in his power not to laugh at how horrified Alec was at the picture.  “They’re mermaids, Alexander. I thought you would appreciate the humor.” 

The sea blue shirt had tiny cartoon mermaids all over it.  Everyone else would just think it to be festive beach attire but Magnus and Alec would at least be in on the joke.

“Why do they look like Clary?”

Magnus finally did start to laugh at that. “I’m not sure, darling.  Mundanes are rather fond of the idea of redheaded mermaids. Clary would be quite popular if they ever met her.  It has to do with the movie.” 

“Magnus, please never mention Disney movies again,” Alec sighed, running his hand through his hair.  Just because Magnus spent a year tormenting Alec with quotes from movies he didn’t think his lover had seen, now Alec bristled at the mention of any movie the mouse ever made.  

Sighing heavily, Magnus shook his head in despair at his lover’s inability to appreciate his movie quotes.  “I hate you sometimes.” 

“No you don’t.”  Alec shrugged, knowing it to be completely true.  But to prove to Alec just how much he didn’t hate Magnus, he chose his own clothing with Alec in mind.  When he snapped his fingers, he was dressed, though there wasn’t much of a change. Deciding to go without a shirt (mostly because he loved the way Alec’s eyes dilated when he looked at his arms) Magnus was now clad in only a pair of boardshorts that were the same color as his scales.  The blue, purple and pink swirled together to make a galaxy-type print on the garment and Magnus made a note to send these back to the loft when they were ready to head home. They looked good and he wanted to keep them.

Alec licked his lips and stepped closer, “You’re right.  I don’t hate you.” 

But instead of letting Alec kiss him as he knew his partner wanted to, Magnus grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the beach.  Every step brought them closer to music and the general din of voices in a crowd, and with every step, Alec’s grip on his hand tightened just a little more.  

Soon enough, they were on the edge of the crowd and Magnus wondered if Alec hadn’t broken a few bones in his hand.  

“Relax a little, darling.  No one here is going to hurt you.”  He let his magic spark in their joined fist, a silent promise that no matter what happened, Magnus would protect them both and keep them safe.  

“Where were you two?” a voice asked, belonging to a rather intoxicated surfer dude if Magnus had to classify him as anything.  “You know we aren’t supposed to go past the sandbar!”

Alec stared at the man like a deer caught in headlights and said nothing, prompting Magnus to laugh slightly.  “Oh, I know. But what is life without a little rule breaking? Besides, look what I have here. I could hardly be expected to keep my hands to myself all day, could I?”

The drunk man looked Alec up and down for a moment and seemed to agree with Magnus.  “Good on you, dude. And you too,” he nodded to Alec. “He’s a catch. I mean, look at him.”  With that, the man disappeared back into the crowd. Alec stared at Magnus and Magnus stared back before bursting into laughter.  “Darling, you’re allowed to say thank you when someone compliments you.”

“You just told him we snuck away to have sex.  Why would you share that information, particularly when it isn’t true?”  

Why Alec cared what a bunch of people he would never see again thought about what they did or did not do down the beach was beyond him, but Alec had been tense around mundanes for longer than Magnus had known him (if the fact that he threatened to punch Simon the first time they met, and kill Magnus the first time they met were any indication).

He pulled Alec close, kissed his cheek, and whispered, “Would it have been better if I told them that we were actually merfolk who crawled out of the ocean and hid in the trees until our legs appeared?  It seemed using sex as an excuse was preferable.”

Alec nodded against Magnus’ head.  Laughing, Alec said, “Well, I crawled out.  You sort of flopped around like a crazy person.”

“You are awful.  See if I take you to any other happening mundane parties after this.”  

“All I have to do is insult you and you won’t make me come to these parties anymore?”  Magnus could see Alec working out how to use this to his advantage. “You look ridiculous in clothes.”

Of all the insults Alec could have come up with, that one was not something Magnus ever considered and it startled a laugh out of him.  “Darling, I already know that you prefer me without clothes in either form, so I don’t think that one is going to work. Besides, I look fabulous in clothes and you know it.”

Alec was so despondent over that that Magnus couldn’t do anything but lean in and give him a kiss.  “Fine,” Alec sighed. “Alright, let’s go do this party so we can go home.”

Magnus led Alec through the crowd to the bar where a woman was mixing drinks.  She was beautiful with expressive eyes but immediately his own gaze was to the scratch marks running across the side of her neck.  

“Do you have a pack?” Magnus asked, dropping his voice so only the three of them standing there could hear.  He could see Alec raising a brow, looking at the two of them as he tried to figure out what Magnus was talking about.  

“Depends who’s asking.  You a motorcyclist?”

That question right there answered Magnus’ question but he still glanced around before dropping the glamour on his eyes.  “I’m Magnus Bane. Part-time High Warlock of Brooklyn and part-time merman.”

“It’s merfolk,” Alec parroted, a flashback to when they first met.  Magnus knew now it didn’t really matter how they referred to themselves but that Alec liked to be pedantic.  It was something about his sense of humor. 

Magnus rolled his eyes, dropping the glamour back down before turning and kissing Alec’s cheek.  “And this is my husband, Alec. Don’t mind him. He tends to dislike everyone with legs.”

“That isn’t true.  I love you and you have legs.  And the rest of the warlocks are okay.”  He turned his attention back to the bartender.  “When he says pack, what is he talking about? I’m still learning a lot about life on land.”

The girl grinned and yelled for the other bartender to take over for a moment.  “I’m Maia and yeah, I’m in the New York pack. Which basically means, I’m a werewolf.”

“Those exist too?”  Magnus bit his lip at the sight of Alec’s comically large eyes.  

“Darling, you are a merman mated to a warlock whose on land family consists of other warlocks and a vampire.  Why are werewolves hard to believe?” If Alec turned into a half-fish every time he got in the water, there was no reason this girl in front of them couldn’t turn into a wolf at every full moon.  

Alec shrugged and Magnus turned his attention back to Maia.  “What brings a city wolf like you all the way out here?”

“I saw a listing for a bartender needed for some huge Spring Break party.  All expenses paid. I jumped at the chance. I mix drinks all day at home, so that isn’t anything unusual and this way I get a free trip to the Mexican coast.  Plus, this time of year in the city can be a little dull. I would have been mad to turn down this opportunity.” Maia laughed and looked back at the bar where her partner seemed to be drowning in orders.  “I’d better go help him but look me up next time you are in the city. I work at Hunter’s Moon almost every night. I’ll see you around.” 

And like that she was back at her job, hardly looking back as if it was every day that one met two merfolk, one of whom was also the most powerful warlock in the world.  

“That was weird,” Alec muttered.  “Does this happen everywhere you go?” 

Magnus grinned, “Well, I went to a deserted island to hide from everyone and met the most amazing merman in the seven seas, so yeah, I would say this is pretty common.”

“You summoned me.  That was different.”

“Stop questioning it, Alexander.  We met a friend we don't have to hide from.  Accept this as a gift and move on.” Alec smiled at him and Magnus was thankful that Alec didn’t question too much of the weirdness of Magnus’ life on land.  

"So this is what you did before we were together?  You just went to places like this and met other people and did whatever you wanted?"  There wasn't any judgment in Alec's voice, which was a nice change of pace from what Magnus heard from Ragnor and then Raphael over the centuries.  But he still felt a little guilty, even if he had no reason to do so. They both had lives before meeting one another but where Alec did his best to protect his family and provide for them, Magnus mainly just had fun and made money.  

At least, that was how it felt now that he and Alec were together and he had this angel here with him.  Alec made everyone Magnus ever met look bad, with the possible exception of Catarina, who might have demonic blood but was the closest thing to an angel Magnus ever met.  

"Why are you looking like that?  You don't think I'm upset to do you?"  Alec's words pulled Magnus from his pity party for one and he shook his head.  

"No, nothing like that," Magnus promised.  "I just think that I could have done so much more with my years before you and now that I have you, looking back I wonder about the person I was, about the person I was becoming.  I wish I could have been a good person like you."

Alec frowned and pulled Magnus towards the trees. “What are you talking about?  I was closed off and angry. My family loved me, yes, but I don’t think they liked me very much.  I was tired of being alone so I hid it under a layer of salt as you like to call it.” 

Magnus smiled at that and hugged Alec close.  “But I liked your salty attitude. It was cute.”

“Cute was not what I was going for,” Alec grumbled.  “And even if it was, I really doubt anyone else would have considered it that way.  You seem to be the exception to so many of my rules.” 

A small smile tugged at Alec’s lips as he said that and Magnus knew he wasn’t complaining about such a thing.  They were stronger together, and that was all there was to it. 

“The point is, I am not this saint that you seem to think I am.  I took care of them so I didn’t have to think about what I was missing.  And regardless of what you say about yourself, I know you did so much good in your life.  Any of your friends would say so.” Alec cut him off before he could argue about that. “Even Ragnor.”

“You think a lot more of me than I do, Alexander.”

“And you do the same for me.  I think it works.”

Magnus kissed him.  “When did you get to be so wise?”

With a shrug, Alec gave him one more kiss, and took his hand, leading him back to the party.  “When I fell in love with this sage-like warlock who seems to know everything and everyone in the world.  Now, are you going to make me go to this party or can we go back to that lagoon and finish what I was trying to start earlier?”

Magnus laughed, feeling much better already.  Somehow Alec could do that for him. It was his own special brand of magic.  “No, you aren’t getting out of this party that easily. I want to see you dance before we do anything else.”

Neither of them would have believed it before seeing it with their own two eyes but Alec was actually a terrific dancer.  All those years of swimming gave him a control over his body that most mundanes would kill for, so when Magnus pulled him into his arms one night at the loft and the two started to dance, it was pure magic.  Still, they’d never danced together in front of other people and he could see Alec’s hesitation. “Alexander, no one is going to look twice at us. And even they do, they’re all drunk and won’t remember this in the morning.”

Alec nodded and let Magnus drag him out into the crowd on the beach that was moving and swaying to the beat that was pounding from the speakers near the bar.  Magnus started to dance immediately, taken back to his time when he owned Pandemonium and would stay up all night dancing at his club. 

It took Alec longer to relax but when their eyes met and Magnus dropped his glamour for just a moment, it seemed all the encouragement Alec needed to grip Magnus’ hips and pull them flush against one another.  The two moved as one, and Magnus felt Alec’s inhibitions fade away as the music transitioned from one song to the next. 

“If anyone is paying attention to us, they are jealous of me right about now,” Magnus whispered in Alec’s ear, hearing the sharp intake of breath from his lover.  “I have the most beautiful man on the beach with me, and now they find out you can dance, also? If I had any concern that you could be taken from me, I’d be worried about now.”  Feeling Alec tense a little, Magnus shook his head and pressed a light kiss to his neck, “I’m kidding, Alexander.”

Whether it was a desire to mark his territory or just the mood took him then, Magnus didn’t know, but a moment later Alec was kissing him hard and deep, even as their bodies continued to move as one. Magnus often lost himself in the feeling of Alec pressed against him, their lips and tongues sliding together as if they were made for one another.  This time was no exception. Only when they broke apart did he hear the crowing and cheering from the crowd around them. Alec blushed bright pink and hid his face against Magnus’ neck.  

“I think they’re happy for us,” Magnus laughed, though his own cheeks were dusted pink as well.  Their family was used to their random bursts of affection but being around people they didn’t know, Magnus forgot where he was for a moment.  “Are you okay, darling?” 

“Would it be possible to go somewhere else?  I don’t like them all looking at us.” 

Magnus nodded, didn’t even question it, just took Alec’s hand and dragged him out of the crowd and back towards the bar.  The knowledge that people were staring at Alec didn’t sit well with Magnus either, as his lover was for him to ogle and no one else.  “How about we get drinks and then find someplace warm and secluded to sit until sunset?” It couldn’t be far off now, and as it was the entire reason Alec brought them here in the first place.

Looking relieved, Alec nodded and Magnus took them back to the bar where he smiled at Maia.  “Could we get two margaritas? It doesn’t really feel like spring break until I’ve had one of those.”  

“I’ve made so many of those this week.  You’d be surprised. Or maybe not..” Maia laughed before she set to making their drinks, all lime green and festive looking.  “Here you guys go. Are staying for awhile? I get some free time tomorrow, we could hang out.”

Magnus was tempted to say yes, but one look at Alec and the way he was looking longingly out at the ocean and he knew what their answer would be.  “I’m sorry, my dear. I think we are heading home after the sun goes down. This was a fun experience but I think we are both much happier under the waves than in front of them.”  

Nodding, Alec took his drink with one hand and Magnus’ hand with the other.  “But we’re going to Brooklyn in two weeks. We could see you there?”

“It’s a date,” Maia grinned.  “Now, go enjoy your sunset.”

The two of them walked down the beach a little way, close enough to still be considered part of the party but definitely separated at the same time.  When they sat, Magnus scooted closer so they were pressed together, waiting for the sun to dip below the horizon. No words passed between them, the two comfortable enough in one another’s presence that they did not need to fill every silence with chatter.  

Magnus enjoyed his drink and pretended not to notice when Alec took one sip of his and then set it aside.  Alcohol had never been his thing, since the first time Magnus introduced him to it, but he always tried it.  With a flick of his wrist, the glass returned to the bar and Alec smiled over at him. 

“Magnus, do you want to come to things like this more often?”  His voice sounded off and Magnus didn’t know what Alec was actually asking but his answer would be the same, he figured, regardless of where Alec was going with this.  

Shaking his head, Magnus looked over at him, “At one point in my life, I would have loved this.  I’d drag Cat and Ragnor and we’d spend the whole week here. But now, it doesn’t really interest me.  My favorite parts of the day were all because you were there with me, not because I actually enjoyed the party itself.  Maybe I’m finally growing up.”

“Don’t do that,” Alec laughed, “Ragnor would never let you hear the end of it.”

Magnus laughed along with that, wondering how he could fall in love with Alec even more but knowing that it happened several times a day.  “But to answer your question, no, this was fun but I don’t see any reason to do it again.”

Alec nodded and Magnus relaxed knowing that whatever was causing Alec stress, Magnus relieved it, at least a little.  They fell back into a comfortable silence as the sun set and the sky was painted with purples, pinks, and oranges. 

“The sky really can be beautiful, isn’t it?  Do mundanes notice it much?” Alec asked as darkness started to fall around them.

“They do.  Maybe not as often as they should, but they do.”  Magnus rested his head on Alec’s shoulder and closed his eyes.  The peace he felt when with his love was indescribable. “Would you like to go home, Alexander?” 

“But what about...”  Alec didn’t need to finish the sentence for Magnus to know what he was talking about.  They did have plans for after the party, after all. But right now, Magnus wanted to just be with Alec, without any chance of some mundane interrupting.  

He shook his head, “I’d rather go home.  Either the cave or the island, I don’t care which.”

Alec stood and offered Magnus his hand.  “I prefer that too, actually. But Magnus?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you promise me something?”

The easiest question Alec ever asked him, Magnus thought as he grinned at him, “Of course.  Anything.”

“Please don’t tell Jace about this.”

That was confusing and Magnus raised a brow, waiting for Alec to continue.   
“You said it yourself.  That was a beach full of Jaces and if he knew about it, he’d want to be there.  I don’t think we need to add one more to the mix, do you?”

“No, darling,” Magnus laughed. “No, I don’t think we do.”


End file.
